It’s been another busy week for executive appointments in the travel industry.
This week Ski.com appointed a new director of travel agency sales: Devra Glynn, who joins the company from Vail Resorts, where she served as leisure sales manager for seven years. Her tasks at Ski.com will include managing travel agency and consortia relationships.
In cruise news, this week the new Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection made a number of key hires. Jethro Beck has joined the company from Holland America and Seabourn; he will serve as Ritz-Carlton’s senior director of marine operations. Matthieu Godard, who has worked under three-Michelin-starred Chef Daniel Boulud, will serve as the brand’s culinary director. Additionally, Matthew Kiner will serve as senior manager of food and beverage services, Soren Krogsgaard as vice president of newbuilding, Mario Martinez as manager of purchasing, Laura McCauley as manager of quality and training, Celine Moore as manager of enrichment and Reena Vadher as senior manager of procurement.
In agency network news, this week Ensemble Travel Group announced the results of its elections for its 2019 Board of Directors. Robert D. Chapman, president and owner of Edmonton Travel Agency, and Monica Johnstone, owner of Travel Innovations, will join the board this year. Incumbents Jill Romano, owner of Dimensions in Travel, and Linda Sains, owner of Lindale Travel Inc., were also elected to the board.
Additionally, this week American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) announced the appointment of Margaret Bowler to the newly created role of director of global hotel strategy. She will report directly to VP of Hotel Strategy Wes Bergstrom and help lead the development of a value proposition and content strategy for GBT’s hotel capabilities and solutions. She most recently served as global director of hotel relations at Hogg Robinson Group, which was acquired by GBT this past July.
In other hotel news, a number of individual properties made new leadership appointments this week:
- The Grand Hyatt at SFO, which is set to open this summer, appointed Hennin Nopper as its general manager and David Lambert as its director of sales and marketing.
- Proper Hospitality hired three general managers: Karin Kopano at Santa Monica Proper Hotel, Cristiano Buono at Austin Proper Hotel & Residences and Stephane Lacroix at Downtown LA Proper Hotel.
- Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island named Lindsay Wooten its conference services manager.
- Hilton Hawaiian Village hired Stephanie Bleichner as its marketing services manager.
- The SLS Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Beverly Hills named Jake Megrikian its director of sales and marketing following a $22 million redesign that wrapped last year.
- Puerto Vallarta Beach Club appointed John Douponce as its director of operations.
- Florida’s One Ocean Resort & Spa named Darren Keener its director of sales and marketing.
Finally, in destination news, this week the Melbourne Convention Bureau announced the departure of its CEO, Karen Bolinger. She will finish with the organization on April 5 and take some time off before exploring opportunities.
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